Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Find many ideas for games from categories such as online games, printable games, or behavior charts. Other ideas offered are for outdoor games, classroom games, board games, card games, and many more. Choose an item of interest; then read instructions and print activities if included.
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tag(s): behavior (45), preK (270), printables (36), puzzles (149)

Turn meaningful words into beautiful images in just seconds using Quozio. Paste or type your quote into the quote box or use the site's bookmarklet to highlight text from the web to use as your quote. Enter who said it. Scroll through background images available to use with your quote. When finished, share via Pinterest, Facebook, or email. You can also RIGHT click the image to SAVE image as and download a copy to your computer for printing or use elsewhere. Register on Quozio using your email to save quotes directly on the Quozio site.

tag(s): bulletin boards (15), images (263), quotations (19), writing prompts (61)

Create matching and multiple choice quizzes. Register on the site using email to begin. Choose "manage quizzes" to create your first quiz. Provide a name, description, and begin adding quiz questions and answer options. Save and preview as often as desired until satisfied with the quiz. Quizdini supports HTML, so adding links to outside content within quizzes will make each quiz unique. Share completed quizzes using the URL in your browser bar displaying the finished quiz.

tag(s): quiz (67), quizzes (90)

Twiddla is an online meeting space and collaboration tool that is like having a whiteboard skin placed over any website or image so you can draw and more. Discover options available in the practice area named the Sandbox. Choose options for collaboration such as a url, uploaded image or document, or collaborate together on a blank screen. Use the Invite button to share the collaboration url via email or copy/paste. Take a snapshot of your session at any time and export as an image. Pro Accounts offer additional features, such as screen captures and password protection. Receive these services free as an educator, find the directions in the FAQ.
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tag(s): design (79), editing (93), iwb (31), note taking (36)

Diamonds are forever, and so are diamante poems created on this free site. Find a great tool to shape up your poets through the structure of a seven lined diamante poem. Learn about the diamond-shaped poems that use specific types of words for each line. Rhyming isn't needed, but needn't be impeded. Describe a central topic or two opposing topics like night and day. View the examples before creating your poem. Each screen provides an organizer for any poet to complete. Click on the parts of speech for definitions while composing poems. Edit your poem, if needed, before printing, downloading it as a PDF, or sharing through email. Save your draft to continue at a later date. This site is a must during poetry month in April.

tag(s): antonyms (12), firstday (22), parts of speech (39), poetry (193), rhymes (22), synonyms (15)

PreKinders offers printables and teaching ideas for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten teachers. Explore the learning areas to find quick and easy activities for literacy, math, and more. Choose from themes such as fairy tales and families. Search through the many printables in all subject areas as well as classroom management checklists, assessments, and posters.
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tag(s): alphabet (53), alphabetical order (8), back to school (55), classroom management (120), colors (63), counting (60), magnetism (36), musical instruments (52), numbers (120), nursery rhymes (9), preK (270), songs (46), sounds (43), weather (160)

Find "ready to use" lessons, thematic units, classroom management ideas, and much more at this one-stop resource for elementary teachers. Explore the reproducibles section to find templates for science observation, an excellent Problems with Dice activity, and an Internet usage survey. After choosing a reproducible, be sure to look on the right side of the page for other reproducibles not listed on the main page. The Innovative Classroom also contains an extensive list of center activity ideas, class certificates, and bulletin board suggestions. Be prepared to spend a lot of time here finding and saving ideas!
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tag(s): bulletin boards (15), classroom management (120), counting (60), density (17), fractions (160), gettysburg address (12), heat (14), holidays (187), human body (93), map skills (63), martin luther king (45), olympics (45), painting (54), place value (34)

Have fun learning math at Kids Math Games Online! Choose from categories including money, problem-solving, and logic. In addition to many interactive games, find interesting number facts, math tutorial videos, math pictures, and printable quizzes. Click on any topic to begin then choose from offerings. Activities include simple instructions for play and offer immediate feedback on content. This website is pretty heavy on the advertisements, but worth the "annoyance." Note: The videos embedded on this site are NOT created by kidsmathgames and are hosted on YouTube. They come from various sources. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
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tag(s): addition (129), angles (52), coordinates (15), counting (60), division (98), geometric shapes (134), images (263), logic (161), money (113), multiplication (122), preK (270), problem solving (233), subtraction (110), time (91)

Use Google Keep to save notes directly to your Google Drive account. This tool requires that you have a Google account. Unlike some similar services, such as Evernote, reviewed here, notes kept in Google Keep are saved to your Google Drive account. Use Google Keep for notes, voice notes, lists, and photos. Access these on any web enabled mobile device. Keep works best with Chrome browsers (there is an extension for Chrome, also) and Android phones, but our editors had no issues using other browsers as well. Google Keep can also be also used with any school's Google Apps account. Keep is colorful, which is part of the design. Be sure to use the colors as an organizational tool. Keep has a low learning curve and is very simple to use. The quick note feature is invaluable: just type your notes in the text box without logging in or switching screens. To leave a voice note, tap the microphone icon and speak. Archive items easily when you are done. Though Keep is a more generic, basic tool, its value is in its simplicity and ease of use.

tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (147), note taking (36), organizational skills (88)

Captivate and challenge students while maintaining quiet times in your classroom with Bouncy Balls! Turn on the microphone to capture sound; the quieter your environment is, the more settled the balls remain. If there is more noise, the balls start flying and jumping around the screen. In addition to bouncy balls, choose from bubbles, eyeballs, and smiley face icons. There is also a full screen option. Our editors had some trouble trying to figure out HOW to enable the microphones. Here are some tips that we learned. If you are using Firefox or Chrome, you must allow pop-ups. You should get a message in the narrow band below the address bar asking you to "Allow Microphone" for this site. At the time of this review, this site was not working properly on the Safari browser. Even so, this is still one site you will want to explore and "have a ball." Unfortunately, this site does not work on mobile devices.
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tag(s): classroom management (120), preK (270), sound (72), Teacher Utilities (197)

Talking Math With Your Kids is a blog devoted to the support of early mathematical development in children. Each post discusses an opportunity to have math conversations throughout everyday activities. The author provides a discussion and adds information on the math content opportunities for learning. Examples are math conversations while playing games, exploring nature, or searching for scissors and learning about pairs.

tag(s): parents (57), preK (270)

Need a way to get a quick understanding of Common Core or explain the basics to parents? Be prepared with this all in one site. Find explanatory videos, documents, and more.

tag(s): commoncore (73)

Share your screen instantly and easily to any device with a browser using ScreenLeap. Choose Start Now to begin and follow simple start-up directions. Once connected, send the link via email or text or provide the access code to anyone else to begin sharing. Choices include sharing the entire screen or just what is within the box. Directions include options for just audio sharing. Free account access offers up to 2 hours of screen sharing time per day.
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tag(s): editing (93), homework (29), parent conferences (21)

Create many educational multimedia activities in one place using Educaplay. Create interactive maps, riddles, slide shows, fill in the blanks, crossword puzzles, word search puzzles, jumbled word, jumbled sentence, dictation, or create a collection of several of these based on a theme. Registration is required. Your results will be consistent and professional looking. Also, browse and use activities and collections others have created. Download and print the activities or complete them online by embedding them on your website or sharing the URL. Results can be registered in your learning management system (online grade book). Though originally a Flash program, Educaplay converted to HTML5 and should work on any computer.

tag(s): crosswords (19), multimedia (53), puzzles (149), quizzes (90), slides (43), word study (59), worksheets (69)

View visual guidelines for proper email etiquette. We all need to develop e-mail writing skills for an academic setting with classmates, teachers, administrators, and members of the community in the 21st century. Download the PDF visual guidelines to guide you and your students on the manners and responsibilities associated with communicating through email. Be sure to provide credit to the author in your classroom, website, or blog if you post the PDF.

tag(s): digital citizenship (85), writing (324)

Find a colorful, creative Infographic for just about any topic on this sharing site. Use one of the forty-plus categories or type your keyword in a search box. There are so many cool Infographics at this site that you won't have to create one of your own. But if you do, you can upload it and have it displayed on Infographics Only. What is an Infographic? Learn more about Infographics here. Be sure to take time to preview the Infographics on this site as some may not be suitable for young people. It would be best to link directly to the Infographic you want to share.
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tag(s): charts and graphs (171), data (151), graphic design (49), infographics (56)

Find free elementary printables and teaching resources at PaperZip. Items include writing paper, calendars, post cards, and templates. Search by specific topics such as literacy, numeracy, or seasonal to find available offerings. After choosing a resource, read a short description as well as view the file size, type, and age suitability. Download using the button provided. Click tags in red boxes under item descriptions to find similar downloads. The Classroom menu has useful templates for organization and rewards.This site was created in the United Kingdom. American English speakers may notice some differences in the pronunciations and spellings from those in American English. Be aware that some of the ads appear to be part of the site, but are not.
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tag(s): alphabet (53), christmas (38), halloween (32), multiplication (122), numbers (120), preK (270), printables (36), seasons (37), spelling (97)

Practice basic multiplication facts at this interactive site. There are six levels that test your knowledge of times tables as well as speed. Earn points for correct answers and speed. Use the drop down box to change the language to Spanish, French, and other options.

tag(s): multiplication (122)

Coggle is an online, collaborative mind mapping program. Sign in using your Google account or other email to begin. Click "create" to begin a new diagram. Click to edit text, or choose the + icon to add a new branch. Drag elements anywhere on your screen to rearrange. Invite others to view, add, or edit your Coggle using the share button. Allow other users read-only access or read-and-edit access. Download finished Coggles as a PDF file or a PNG image. The introduction/explanation video is hosted on YouTube. If YouTube is blocked at your school, you may want to view the video and familiarize yourself with the website from your home computer.

tag(s): brainstorming (18), charts and graphs (171), collaboration (93), graphic organizers (48), mind map (27)

Are you looking to experience science and math through a different lens? STEMbite is a YouTube channel with engaging "bite-sized" lessons from a unique first-person perspective through Google Glass. This intro page explains the project and gives the link to the actual YouTube channel. Math and science surround us in our everyday life. STEMbite opens your eyes to infinite possibilities. The videos engage you through a short explanation and motivate you to learn more. Examples of videos include math at the pharmacy, washing machine physics, chemistry in your kitchen, probability challenge, the polarization of light, and more! Subscribe to the STEMbite YouTube channel to make your mind hungry to learn about the application of math and science in our everyday life. STEMbite will change your point of view on math and science. If your district blocks YouTube, then STEMbite may not be viewable for students at school.

tag(s): atmosphere (22), energy (133), probability (99), STEM (297), video (266), waves (14)